Improvement in heel-stiffeners for boots and shoes



S. PRIOR. Heel-Stiffeners for Boots and Shoes.

No. 216,105. Patented June 3,1879.

AiiBSl S I J Invezdior UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL PRIOR, 0F TRENTON, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN HEEL-STIFFENERS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,105, dated June 3, 1879 application filed April 2, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL PRIOR, of Trenton, New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Heel-Stifi'eners, of which the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View, in perspective, of a finished heelstiffener constructed according tomy invention; Fig. 2, a similar view of the material blanked out but not conformed, and Fi 3 a central sectional elevation of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts wherever used.

This invention relates to what are known in the shoe trade as heel-stiftbners, and consists in a new article of manufacture-a heelstifi'ener composed of a layer of india-rubber' and a layer of leather-board.

Heretofore these stifl'ene-rs bar e been made of ordinary leather, made rigid by any fit method, or of leather-board, or of two layersthe inner of leather and outer of leather board; but the objection has been that the moisture of the foot permeated and softened heel stift'eners made wholly or partially of leather-board, and that those made of leather were too expensive.

By my invention I combine an outside layer of what is known as leather-board with an inside layer of india-rubber, either by frictional pressure and heat or by the use of any suitable glue or other adhesive substance, so that while the leather-board imparts the requisite stiffness, the rubber prevents the permeation of moisture and insures that the leather-board shall remain rigid.

In place of india-rubber I may substitute any equivalent impervious material.

In the drawings, A represents the leatherboard layer, and B the layer of india-rubber.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- As an improved article of manufacture, a heel-stiffener for boots and shoes, composed of an inside layer of india-rubber and an outside layer of leather-board, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 31st day of March, 1879.

' SAMUEL PRIOR.

In presence of- BENJ. VAN CLEVE, PETER BACKES. 

